According to the experts at Total Extraction Solutions, the vast majority of business owners don’t report problems with the extraction and ventilation systems until the whole thing grinds to a quite spectacular halt. And that’s of course the best case scenario, as in other instances, it takes anything from a fire to an outbreak of illness to motivate the respective business owner to call for professional help, by which time the prospect of a cheap and convenient ‘quick fix’ has of course gone right out the window.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing of all about the subject for those in the know is the way in which the vast majority of large-scale problems with ventilation installations can in fact be headed off with a little proactivity. As far as the experts are concerned, the overwhelming majority of problems manifesting behind the scenes gives the respective business owner and the workforce in general a variety of warning signs prior to things hitting disaster point, which in turn means that keeping a lookout for them represents the best way of avoiding costly repairs further down the line.

Here’s a quick overview of the most common sure-fire signs there’s something untoward happening that needs the immediate attention of an expert inspection team:

1 – Temperature Inconsistencies

First and foremost, perhaps the most immediately obvious and noticeable warning sign is that of a somewhat inconsistent temperature in the workplace that’s difficult to control. It could be too hot, too cold or somewhat prone to swinging one way or the other at random. In all such cases, this suggests that your extraction and ventilation systems are not doing their jobs properly. It could be a simply blockage, something mechanical or really about a thousand other things – all of which should be investigated before being allowed to get any worse.

2 – Excessive Noise

There’s a certain level of noise any extraction or ventilation system should be making, which is the amount of noise it was making on the day it was installed. Now, wear and tear over the years may to some extent change or amplify the noise to be expected, but at the same time it’s pretty obvious when and where things are getting a little too loud for comfort. And it’s not just a case of listening out for louder operational noise either, as any changes to the sound you hear should be interpreted as warning signs. From knocks to squeaks to rattles and really anything else across the board, the simple fact of the matter is that it should not be making this kind of noise and therefore should be investigated.

3 – Unusual Odours

Every workplace the world over will have its own unique fragrance or combination thereof. As such, it’s up to those working there to determine when and where things don’t quite smell as they should, in order to begin determining why. If there’s an unusually stale smell, the smell of burning or really anything else that doesn’t seem to have an immediate explanation, it’s worth taking a close look at your ventilation and extraction systems to make sure they are doing their respective jobs properly.

4 – Energy Use

If at any time you note that your monthly or quarterly energy bills seem to be heading skyward for no apparent reason, there’s a very strong chance this is being caused by something in the workplace drinking up far more energy than it should be. And where there are probably hundreds of different culprits that could be to blame, one of the most common and oft-overlooked of all is that of the building’s extraction and ventilation systems. The reason being that when these kinds of large-scale systems are unable to work properly or efficiently due to a mechanical fault or blockage, they utilise huge doses of electricity to keep running and may do so wholly without giving any indication that this is the case…other than the unusually high bills.

5 – Workforce Sickness

Last up, there’s really nothing more worrying for any business owner than poor employee attendance rates that seem to have no immediate explanation. It’s not as if anyone would like to think that they may be playing a hand in OTT sickness rates, but when and where the air within a workplace is anything but 100% clean and fresh at all times, it’s only a matter of time before it begins to take a toll on employee health. Should this be suspected, immediate action must be taken to avoid outright disaster.